Dumb Things People Do Amidst a Severe Storm Warning

By Kellene, Preparedness Pro on 8 July 2013 - 4:31pm

There's plenty of thundering, blowing, raining and hailing going on all over the country--though some areas sure could use MORE rain. I don't know about you, but I look at such instances as if they are giving us a much needed "trial run" to test out our level of preparedness amidst a "surprise" situation that Mother Nature likes to throw at us. And there are plenty of "trial runs" available. As we've already seen played out in the national news, the storm and tornado season is in full swing--not to mention the lightening strikes that are causing so many fires. Each year, the U.S. gets an average of 5.9 hurricanes, 1,000 tornadoes and 10,000 severe thunderstorms! But you and I both know that there are a lot of folks doing some CRAZY things and appear to have more spit than sense when it comes to being ready for a severe storm.

You know who I'm talking about. Perhaps it's one of those crazy people who get within 100 feet of a huge tornado just so that they can post the footage to YouTube. Or maybe you're familiar with those folks who go and purchase tons of batteries, beer, and band-aids at the last minute and THEN, after the storm has passed, they take it all back to the store for a refund. (Well, less the beer, I suppose.) I actually remember that happening after Hurricane Sandy--all of the city folks going crazy and buying all of the things that they should have had on hand in the first place, taking it all back the next day for a refund! That's just nutzo!! I don't know about you, but I'm looking at that scenario and shaking my head thinking "Hello! Mother Nature just gave you a dress rehearsal so you're not caught so vulnerable the NEXT time--and yes, there WILL be a NEXT TIME--and yet you're going to negate what little bit of preparedness you accomplished as a result of this experience and return it all??!" Yes, I truly did yell that at the TV one night.

Then of course there's the situation in which a hurricane is predicted in an area that we all know is prone to hurricanes--and yet when the forecast comes, everyone is freaking out, going to the hardware store and buying up nails and plywood and such. I still don't understand that one. It's not like these folks woke up one day and realized that they were IN a hurricane prone area, right? So why in the world don't they just keep the nails and the plywood and such on hand in the first place instead of subjecting themselves to the craziness that goes on in the hardware store right before a coastal storm?? My husband would call that "dumb squared".

And then, of course, you've got the people who JUST buy the beer and the cigarettes and decide that they're just going to party their way through the disaster. *Sigh* Such persons give me the greatest angst as they later risk the lives of good men and women who have to RESCUE their behinds from off the top of the roof! (That one makes me grrrr...)
How about the folks who play in flood waters that are moving fast? How about the woman who says she's going to stay put because she doesn't want to miss the latest episode of "Honey Boo Boo"? (True story!) How about the folks who think that they're actually going to be ABLE to find food and batteries and such in the stores or the folks who say "FEMA will rescue me!" --as if it absolves them from taking any responsibility for their own safety and well being? I won't share any more with you because in doing so I might just ruin YOUR CHANCE to win a great giveaway we've got to share with you.

You see, today the good folks at STA-BIL and Start Your Engines! have a little giveaway that they are going to give to one of YOU who makes a comment below and shares an example of what NOT to do when faced with a severe storm warning. That's right! You just might be rewarded with $90 worth of prizes, as well of some great storm preparation education, just for sharing some of your "shaking your head" moments. (Let's face it. There aren't a lot of audiences who will actually GET the "dumb squared" part of your scenario. So now's your chance to unload! :-) And I'm even going to let you "unload" as many as three times. That's right. You will be entered to win each time you comment BUT--you can only comment a maximum of 3 times and each time you comment it MUST BE A DIFFERENT scenario of what kind of dumb things that people do amidst a severe storm warning.

Just to be clear--each time you comment ON THIS ARTICLE you'll be entering to have your name drawn in this STA-BIL/Start Your Engines! Giveaway, but each comment MUST have a different scenario. Got it? Good!

This special Storm Preparation Giveaway Prize is provided by the makers of STA-BIL and Start Your Engines! which helps keep small engine equipment like generators and chain sawsworking when you need them most! And one of our lucky readers is going to with the following package that STA-BIL and Start Your Engines! has put together--a value of more than $90!

So go down below and share with us some of your experiences with the dumb things people do amidst a severe storm warning--posted by midnight on July 12th, 2013, and you just might find yourself a benefactor of those crazy things that people do. After all, it's about time, right? *grin* (The winner will be announced the following week).

Disclaimer: The items featured in this giveaway were provided by Gold Eagle Co. and will be sent to the winner directly by Gold Eagle Co. I have not been compensated for this post in any other way. I'm just doing this because the nice folks at Gold Eagle Co. put together this nice opportunity for one of you. *grin*

Comments

Submitted by Steph on 8 July 2013 - 7:00pm

a recent fav was power is out and we have a tornado warning- people were getting in their cars and driving to the main stores and asking if anyone was open. one guy ran outta gas while trying to get that answered and of course was then stuck in the area since the gas stations were closed due to no power. not prepared on several areas...

Again, a story of my dear friend in Duluth. In this story, he was living just outside of Superior, Wisconsin, with his two little girls. He is busy being a dutiful dad, getting the girls ready for school, and neglects to hear the sirens blaring outside. One of the little girls asks him about it as they are getting into the car and he thinks its a test of the system and not to worry about it.
He realizes that there isn't too much traffic that morning and its kind of foggy on the road. He drives into the fogbank which goes on for several minutes and he and the girls smell an awful odor. The girls are covering their faces and begin to cry. He is coughing and his eyes are watering when he drives out of the fogbank and sees police and fire department vehicles, hazardous waste spill trucks and ambulances parked on the sides of the road with all of their lights flashing. He is flagged down and the car is rushed upon by EMTs who drag all of them out to wash them down and take them to the hospital because he has just driven them through a benzene spill caused by a tanker car derailment which had occurred at 5 oclock in the morning, and had he let the girls turn on the TV that morning or bothered to turn on a radio, even when he heard the sirens, they would have been spared serious illness and injury.
Two stories about the same fool is enough - you can't fix stupid.

you know one of the things that really gets to me... it's like "watch me but don't do as I do" type thing. These weather people that stand out IN the hurricane to show just how strong the wind is blowing and are getting pounded by the rain and all sorts of junk is blowing past them while they are being battered back and forth ARE JUST PLAIN STUPID!

ok so one of my favs was the tornado siren going off (for a good 5 mins) and people coming in and out of the Chinese restaurant grabbing their order and driving away. the owners offered their small basement which we accepted (we were already there eating when it suddenly turned from yuck to bad). not to mention the people still calling in their orders while sirens were going off... ugh sometimes you just wanna say "really?!?!"

Definitely travel with extra blankets, warm outerwear, extra food, chains, and hand/body warmers in your car during the winter! As a young girl, my family got stuck in a blizzard without any of that gear at the top of the Siskiyou Summit at the California/Oregon border. The National Guard had to come rescue us and other stranded travelers. I have witnessed late snows in March and April as well in the Northwest. Carry chains just in case!

I live in Oklahoma and this spring has been deadly with several tornados that were mega-monsters. The lack of preparedness has been underscored by the high number of deaths in all areas. One of the saddest and most preventable was the instance in which a family took refuge in a street culvert located behind their house that was a known to carry large amounts of water during heavy rains. The storm did have circulation in it but the main warning was for heavy rainfall. The parents each had two children in their arms; however, the rushing water tore three of the children away from them with the final result being the death of two of the small children. This could all have been prevented with just a plan for taking shelter in a safe area. In Oklahoma we have one television station whose weatherman is excellent at warning people in advance about these storms; however, as I have always said, "You can't help stupid"!!!

We live in NJ and were preparing for hurricane sandy last fall. I got all the lanterns, batteries and candles out. I made sure that there was extra water for drinking, the animals and for the toilets. We had plenty of shelf stable food and I have a gas stove, so I knew that I could at least heat up water to cook. I went to my parents house, 5 miles away to make sure they were ok. My mom assured me that there would be fine. I asked her if she had fully charged her cell phone.
She told that it was fine because she never uses it - so how could the battery be low. So of course we lost power and so did they. My dad called me the next day and told me that if I needed them to call his cell because my mom's cell had a dead battery! All in all, we were lucky but we were without power for a week.

One of the dumbest things people do is to leave their current location when they find a out a severe storm is imminent. I cannot tell you how many times, a guest has suddenly realized they absolutely must leave to take care of something that is not more important than preserving their life. This also involves the persons who came with them. They are being forced into the dangerous situation as well. Even if you are willing to take that risk for yourself, why would you being willing to subject a friend, relative, child to that risk as well? It happens. We hear on the news of a severe thunder storm coming, of tornado warnings, lightening, fog or at the cold end ice storm, snow storm warnings. It is all the same. The guest must leave to get home. Why in the name of everything holy would you leave a good, well stocked shelter to get in your car and drive home? It drives me nuts.

Living in Oregon, we don't have the really big emergencies that other areas experience. However, during any "snowstorm" of at least an inch of snow, the city shuts down and people leave work in a panic. Naturally, they get stuck on the freeways because someone will hit their brakes too hard and spin out. Within a few minutes freeways are parking lots and people just walk away from their cars. (A major windfall for the tow truck companies, since they charge a fortune to release your car!)

My coworkers would all walk two doors down to the pub, have some tasty food and wait for a few hours. After 3 hours, the abandoned cars would all be gone, the freeways sanded, and no traffic on the drive home. Panic is truly the enemy.

I've been to the Jersey shore numerous times when there's been a hurricane nearby. I can't believe the people that think standing on the rocks/jetties to view the surf is a good idea. Can you day 'duh'?

I have an aunt I have tried to get started prepping. She showed me her pantry and said she had at least 6 months of food inside it plus she had some food in the freezer. I told her unless they only ate one tiny meal every odd day of the week they didn't have enough and if the power went out all the foods in the fridge and freezer would ruin. So she told me then that if they ran out God would be there to help. I reminded her God helps those that help themselves. I really don't think she ever got it.

I live in Texas on the gulf coast & a hurricane (cat. 3) is heading my way. I am prepared with all my supplies but at the last minute decide to evacuate leaving the supplies behind with no bug out bag & water in the vehicle.

When I was in the Marines and staioned in Okinawa we would have typhoons.
Marines would get their beer and go down and sit on the sea wall and get drunk while watching the heavy oceans, wind , and rain come in from the storm.

I'm in Colorado where there are a lot of wildfires. There are so many people who have lost their homes in the fires-lost homes number near 1,000! I have read several stories of people who lost everything. People don't even know what to grab when they are evacuating.

I always have snacks, water, and blankets along with other emergency things packed in our vehicles. One summer we were coming back from Ohio and we got stuck on a 2 lane highway in the desert for 6 hours due to an accident that ended up being fatal and had caused a fire. Lucky for us we had the emergency food and water with us. We couldn't have got off that highway and turned around for anything, we were just stuck. Now my husband doesn't laugh at me when I stock up and prepare for things like this. He was pretty darn happy to have something to eat and drink with us. People need to realize that they should be prepared for anything that happens. It's better to be prepared and not need it than to need it and not have it.

You buy a generator & you don't read the instructions. Then a storm comes, the power goes out & you decide to run the generator in the garage with the doors closed not knowing the fumes would fill the house & kill you!

I have tried several ways to encourage my sisters to make at least minimal preparation for an emergency. I have been called "paranoid" more than once. When I showed my sisters a catalog of various freeze dried food the comment was "that's too expensive". I guess that starving is less expensive. One sister showed me her "emergency pantry" which consisted of a few cans of soup and a box of instant rice and some noodles. After spending 5 days without electricity this past winter due to heavy snow, I tried to tell them how important it was for us to be prepared for at least a week on our own. They live further North than I do, but they just don't seem to understand the urgency. We were saved because of canned meat, containers full of drinking water, 1 gallon jugs of water for toilets (it takes 3 gallons to flush one toilet) and I baked two loaves of bread the night before the storm and located candles and flashlights "just in case". They think we were just "lucky".

Check your homeowner's insurance; call your agent way before you ever see "storm clouds" ...you'll be surprised what is and what isn't covered and hopefully will be able to mitigate serious loss ahead of time.

My second example... A friend who goes grocery shopping Every Single Day. She has a husband and some little children. She never knows, ahead of time, what she will prepare for her family for dinner. I have never understood it. What if she gets sick? What if there is bad weather and she can't get to the store? What if there is a REAL disaster and they have NOTHING?? Ahhhh!!!!!!!!

OK... #3 comment. This was us, years ago. We lived in Nebraska. We had two tiny children and another one on the way. As far as preparedness, this is probably the dumbest thing we ever did. One evening we went grocery shopping... all of us. On the way home, there was a severe blizzard. We were inching along alright (sort of) until we had to turn and go parallel to the wind. Then we lost all visibility. The snow was coming down very fast, and it was dark outside. We had to stop the car. We had NOTHING in the car to help us. No blankets, NOTHING. After sitting there for a while, a local farmer, who lived very close by, came up behind us, stopped to help and we managed to follow him to his house where we stayed for 3 days. My husband was a hog farmer, and was able to walk to the farm to take care of his animals the next day. It wasn't easy. I shudder to think what could have happened to us if our angel had not come along. Ever since, I make sure I have a "kit" in my car. For that matter, it doesn't have to be a blizzard. Anything could happen and it could be impossible to get home where I have my food and water storage, candles, blankets, firewood, etc. It is essential to be prepared at all times.

Thunderstorms have been rumbling thru the area and dumping a bunch of rain....filling up gutters that have not been cleared out. So during a break in the rain but certainly not the thunder, out comes the aluminum ladder to clear out the aluminum gutters. Fortunately, a caring neighbor reminded me what I was doing and that when there's thunder there is lightening. I had never jumped off a ladder before that incident. Yes, it was ME being that dumb! I still have my wits and alot more of them now too.

I love, love, love to just shake my head every time I watch a natural disaster on the news. My favorite is the guy that refused to leave his beloved mountain that was about to volcano all up in his business. Not sure if they ever found him.
First of all, do the news reporters really feel they need to be right smack in the middle of said disaster. Yes I laugh when they get knocked over. Second all the college kids that are filmed by said reporter, running around half naked, hootin' and hollerin' about how awesome the surfing is, as a huge tree branch comes flying past and scares them...then they start laughing again. Thirdly the aftermath of it all when everyone comes out and runs to the only atm with power then goes to the pub or finds the weary reporter to whine about how they don't have power 2 hours after the storm passed.
Yes I was once one of these. My very first hurricane, we lived in an old apartment on the top floor with huge old oak trees all around. We waited until the storm past and were out acting crazy with the college kids. Stupid me didn't realize this was the eye of the storm, and was caught about 2 miles from me place. We didn't know anyone except co-workers at the time. We were very poor and young, had no supplies except the lighter, some candles, and a flashlight. We did have some canned/dry food but no way to cook it. Our tore up old car had less than 1/2 a tank of gas and there was a huge long line at the one gas station that had power and an atm. They had bumped up the price of gas by a good 20 cents from the day before. We ended up making it to the inlaws and stayed for a week. The only way we knew we had power was that the answering machine picked up.
Once we were in our first home I made a "kit" and we still use that today.

During a midwestern tornado outbreak, I was posting a list on Facebook of the things we have in our tornado shelter, trying to help out some friends who are new to the area. One long-time resident replied that her basement/shelter is so full of clutter, there isn't even room to stand, so her method of "preparing" is to pray nothing happens! Eventually, my list of preparedness items inspired her kids to gather a few essentials -- "2 blankets, 2 water bottles, 2 flashlights, and "since we will be confined in a small space with mr farts-a-lot, a can of febreze air freshener!" "

My Husband works for a very large warehousing facility. His particular account is for one of the big paper products company. While there was almost a full week of news coverage and predictions of last years hurricane Sandy making land fall in the Northeast it amazingly went for the most part unheeded by most. At first warning I sent my adult daughter with all the extra cash I could muster and rolled change to get the specialized baby formula her daughter used. She considers her prepper mom &dad crazy! It was the only thing I was unable to store up ahead because of cost and constant changes to find something she could tolerate. She had to go to three stores to find 4 cans of powder mix! Meantime we secured enough wood inside to run both cookstove and wood heat stove, secured the out buildings and contents and moved anything valueable out of the shed along the creek(our property is borderd by two creeks! ). We were ready! My husband chose to go to work although he drove the 4 wheel drive lifted truck(gas hog) and knows at least 6 alternative routes for the 45 mile drive. He was stunned and angry when he had a truck driver come in and tell him at the last moments before the storm where he just came from. For the record this guy lives up near us in the country 45 miles from the city the warehous is in. He was called out at the last minute to make an emergency run to eastern New Jersey, Not with bottled water,batteries or emergency supplies but an eighteen wheeler full of TWINKIES. No kidding there seemed to a shortage that was causing a twinkie emergency. This guy had to risk being caught in a storm so they would not run out of twinkies!

I live in Coastal NC, Hurricanes are part of our life each year, even if we are not a direct hit. I know this sounds small but one suggestion I have learned from experience is, "Cut Your Grass" before the storm. Why? If you have ever had to drag tree limbs thru tall grass once you will understand. Also not only that, with tall grass and high humidity comes the hungry mosquito. Mosquito like tall grass.

Before hand freeze some bottles or milk jugs for ice blocks. We had our power out for 2 weeks one time and it was nice to have a couple of coolers with ice.

Propane tanks for your grill. Life saver.

Everything else is pick up stuff that might blow away, batten down the hatches and stay sober just in case.

My husband has worked for major insurance company for 30 years so we have heard and seen more than anyone should and for this reason, we became preppers. Check with your company before weather conditions are brewing and see what is covered and what is not, video your home and contents it and if you do not have video capability, write it down in spiral notebook, and get your medications stored. Keep these in your safe place along with stored can goods, extra cash, and milk! :)

Unbelivable moment came when my Dads basement flooded . I asked him where the gas powered sump pump was in the basement!!!!! on a shelf under water !!!! but the best part came when he said lets just plug in the electric pump and wait awhile. in 4 feet of water he wants to play with a electric pump . No Thank You . Love my Dad but he has his moments !!!!
J.G.Pataskala,Ohio

Luckily I don't live in an area prone to natural disasters. Around here people panic before a major snow storm though. I blame the forecasters for making almost every snowfall sound like it's the next storm of the century. It's common knowledge that you should avoid the grocery store before a snowfall because everyone is there stocking up on bread and milk. I find it much more rational to keep a supply of flour, water, yeast, and powdered milk (among other things) on hand so that I don't need to run to the store. Wish someone could get through to those people standing in line at the grocery store before the inclement weather--if you live in an are where you might get snowed-in, wouldn't it be less stressful to just be prepared?

My husband has gone out in a blizzard TWICE for ice cream in the 10 years we've been married. In this house it is a CRISIS when we run low on ice cream. Unfortunately, my husband is less afraid of my wrath than he is of running out of his favorite flavor.

Just before the Y2K scenario, some people I know went out and bought a team of draft horses, a wagon, and harnesses so they could "bug out" if needed. No idea HOW to hitch and drive a team let alone feed and care fore them. Horses DID eventually go to a good home. Sheesh!!

I have lived in Florida my entire life. We have always been prepared for storms. I remember when i was little we already had the preparations we needed (food, water, gas, cash....everything on the lists) but my Mom would save even more water. She would get out all the tupperware, pitchers and anything that would hold water and fill them up. She would also fill up the tubs with water (for flushing toilets and washing dishes and we would use the shower until the storm passed. Then after the store went through if everything was fine and dandy she would water the plants with the water from the containers for the next three weeks. We would use a bucket to flush the toilets with from the tubs to conserve the water, even though we still had water and electricity. To this day I still do everything at my own home exactly how she did it. We store food, water and other items year round. When a hurricane is on the water we start filling the tubs and checking our supplies again and again. We are NEVER those people that have to RUN to the stores in ANY situation.
We never tell anyone that we are prepared because we do not want them knocking on our door or gunning it down.
A few of our neighbors are under the impression that the government will step in and save them. I have tried to talk to them before but they put that wall up.

You beat me :) I was thinking up how to word a comment about all the 4 wheel drive trucks I see stuck after every snowstorm, because "It's 4 wheel drive! That means it does anything, right!?" Cracks me up every time it snow storms and I see them all over the sides of the road, waiting to be towed.

I hope this is where to post for contest..Dumb things....My mother wears hearing aids, can not hear without them. She also is an insulin user. She has a weather radio, I bought it for her, she has it set for only our county, so has no idea of what may be coming at us from the county near us. She knows when storms are going to hit us at night, I call her to make sure she knows. She will head off to bed, take out her hearing aids, only thing that wakes her is the lightening. By that time it is often way too late for her to get in a car and drive just the few hundred feet to our basement to hide. If she does make it here in time, she never has her insulin with her. Most of the time she ends up hiding in her bathroom..Now mind you, that would be okay, if she didn't live in a dang Mobil Home...grrrrrrrr

Lisbon, Ohio had some heavy rains and flooding. My friends husband decided to go out to see how bad the flooding was, and took two of his children with. The creek was flowing over the bridge but he decided to "test the waters". The water slammed his car against the railing. They were stuck. He had to call fire and rescue to pull his car out of the water. Unfortunately for them, the car wouldn't start up so they had to walk the four miles home in the pouring down rain.

I was in CA during the Northridge earthquake. A friend of mine said she didn't have ANY batteries for their flashlights so they were fumbling around in the dark trying to find working batteries in their kid's toys. Stupid! They had lots of money for other things but not basic preparedness.

This month in Floresville, TX. We were on our way back from NM visiting one of the kids and a severe thunderstorm hit the area. My mother who is 71 was home alone when the lights went out for 11 hours. She was able to crank-charge her cell phone and with the battery backup for her chair and the stored food and water she was fine until we got home. We have a go-to walk-in closet for her with all the essentials needed in an emergency. So for everyone who makes fun of us, how prepared were you?

Rebecca Alley is the winner for the Severe Storm Preparedness Giveaway from STABIL.
Rose of Prepping in the Garden won one of the Naughty Baby Cloth Diaper sets and
Matt who's waiting on baby #6 to arrive won the other drawing. :-)
Congrats to all of our winners! And a special thanks to MyNaughtyBaby.com and Gold Eagle Co. who sponsored the special pack from STABIL and Start Your Engines. :-)

If you're one of the owners you need to provide me your mailing address (no PO boxes) within 48 hours so that we can ship you your prize!!!

We have had a power outage, an Ecoli contamination in our city water supply, and some severe Thunderstorm warnings, all within the past 2 weeks. Definitely has me thinking. Want to be prepared for whatever comes my way. Thanks for the post.

The police not moving prisoners from their jail to a jail out of town, before Katrina hit and then letting them out on the streets to wreak havic on the citizens and property left in the city. Like that wasn't going to happen.

I always wonder what people in the south are thinking when they are out walking in fast moving flood waters going down storm drains that they could be sucked into or getting bit by all the poisonous snakes that have gotten washed out.

Instead of people leaving home early, to escape the storm when it is coming straight toward then, they leave as it is arriving and get stuck on the highway in bumper to bumper traffic and run out of gas.

I am always shocked that there are crazy people who will go outside and film a tornado! Yeah, it's cool to see, but is it worth your life? The debris flying around, lightning, etc - there isn't enough money in the world to get me outside during a severe storm, or the warnings that come before the storm!!

I live in a coastal area and certain areas are prone to both ponding and tidal flooding during thunderstorms/tropical storms. But every time, there are pictures and video of cars sitting in the water where the people didn't move their cars. If you live there and know it floods, why not move your car ahead of the storm? Then there are those who try to drive through the ponding and get stuck only to have to be rescued.

We drove with my Mom and Dad to family a few hours away in their large mini van for Christmas. It was snowing but light enough and we wanted to enjoy the holiday. As we were driving it got heavier. My Dad was driving too fast and showing off and kept skidding and the more I would ask him to slow down the faster he would go. The storm turned out much worse than predicted. Everyone wanted us to stay and camp out for the night to be safe. My Dad wanted to get home for his animals and he decided to leave right after dinner. It was either drive with him or be stranded so off we all went into the storm. There were practically no cars to be had on the road and the snow cover was getting brutal. It got to a point were you could not see out the window but he refused to pull over no matter how slow or difficult the road was. My X ( whom I have remained close with over the years) opened his window in the front passenger seat. He sat on the window with his body outside and kept clearing the wipers and he directed my dad where to drive so he could see. He was dads eyes and the only reason we are alive today. At one point my dad skid out onto the side of the road and a truck went by honking its horn. It missed us by much less than a cars length. I spent the trip in the way back holding my daughter and the two of us praying and singing chants with mom in the row in front of us. It took over 12 hours to get home and home never looked so good. I never let my dad drive me again. We later learned that a snow emergency had been declared and no cars were supposed to be on the road. It was a blizzard that left 3 feet of snow. I would never let someone take that chance with my life again, hard lesson learned. We can laugh about it now but it was as crazy as crazy gets.

I think you were asking for dumb things we have done, so I'm going to 'fess up.. Early one morning, in Southern California, February 1971. I was awakened by what sounded like a freight train going by my window, and the bed was bouncing as though my husband was jumping on it-- the Sylmar earthquake! I got up and ran to check my baby, then ran back to the sliding glass patio door--duh! I am just lucky tat it didn't shatter in a million pieces and cut me to ribbons! I have learned a lot about earthquake prep since then, but I would still go to check the baby.

Touching or moving downed lines!!!!! I work for an electrical utility and get sent out to assess damage and fix services during storms. I have shown up to sights where lines were reported down across the road, I get there to find a customer or passerby has moved them to the side!!!! It makes me sick when I see that. A power line doesn't have to be arching or sparking to be live and deadly!!!! Also don't drive under low lines they can also be hazardous. If lines have fallen on your car stay inside and call for help!! Don't get out unless you are in imminent danger of death and then jump free of the car so you land away from car with feet together and bunny hop away always keeping your feet together. The difference in voltage between one foot and the other could be enough to kill you.!!!! You will never be hurt if you treat all downed lines as energized and stay away!!!!! Don't try to be a hero and end up a victim.

While spending a week at the shore, one day there were warnings of severe thunderstorms and a flood watch. People who were parked in a flood zone were moving their cars to higher ground when one young whipper-snapper with a brand new mustang moved his car into the flood zone right in front of the bungalow he was renting. The guy next door told him it was a flood zone and he might want to think about moving it, but he insisted it would be fine, and besides, he FINALLY was able to park in front of the house. A few hours later everyone nearby watched and laughed as he nearly cried when he saw water inside his new car.

I live outside of charming San Antonio, we storm and flood often and everytime there are dozens of high water rescues depite warnings, barricades, closed roads. Yet idiots still put our police and fire men and women at extreme risk. Its so bad, that now people are charged for being rescued. You would think that they would be grateful for being rescued, but no! They complain when the get the bill, most of our rescue workers are volunteer people! Be grateful!

wow some of those are really funny ( and sad! that people can be so stupid!)
In our area we get the Santa Ana winds out of California, when combined with our monsoons ... lightning and thunder you would not believe the number of bad ass folks who run up to the lake for a weekend of water skiing! anyone who lives here KNOWS that Roosevelt lake can be calm as glass then the wind arrives! RUN for shore is what I do I do not want to get caught on the 4 foot white caps, but those loony few beer guzzling tough guys just have to stay ouit there thinking that "nothing will happen to me" until their boat capsizes and they find not even search and rescue will brave that water to drag their dumb ass out until it calms, then when they are able to safely go, they fine the dogsnot out of every one on the boat.

And I agree with the person who complained about people not clearing their yards of stuff when a severe wind storm comes in, I always end up with junk all over my yard, more than once, I hear missiles hitting my windows and sliding glass doors. Please dear neighbors, pick up your lawn tools and gnomes before the storm comes in!

We are preaching to the choir...while we are the ones prepared, others and by that I mean the MAJORITY of our society is not nor ever will. And we the prepared are made fun of by being ready but as soon as "stuff hits the fan", they turn to us for aid and hand outs. I have wonderful friends and neighbors during sickness, deaths, etc and I will do my best to care for them in the weather scenarios, but honestly if it comes down to putting food in my mouth or theirs....

I've known more than one husband (mine included) who in the middle of a big snow storm wants to go out in it and take a drive to the store, etc. just to see how bad it is. When the wives complain about how crazy that is and refuse to go with them, the husband always comments, "but, (Alice, Mary, Peggy, etc.), it's only weather!" More than one friend's husband has then taken off in the car, truck, etc. to see the storm for himself. Those I've known have gotten home safely but they heard a lot of comments from their wives!

We have an ample water supply so I keep gallons in my garage. My neighbor laughs at me and I tell him it's for an emergency. "Well," he says, "if I need something in an emergency, I'll just come over to your house." Hmmm. I wish he would be prepared so we could SHARE resources and not just drain mine!

About 30 years ago, we had a tornado circle our house, I had the kids in the hallway under a mattress, However I am standing on the porch, holding on to the post in total AWE of this tornado laying trees down like dominos. I should have been scared out of my pants and under the mattress with the kids,yet I was so enthralled by this force of nature, I couldn't be scared. I have great respect for storms, and if I had been born in a different place and time I might just be a storm chaser.

I used to live in an extremely cold place pron to flooding and ice. You could alway count on a car, truck, or RV half sunk in the river where someone decided to drive out on the ice. Then spring comes and with it floods, the worse it is the more people flock to the river areas to see how bad it is and get washed away or sucked into rapidly moving water and drowned or nearly do so. Stay home and watch it on tv, the dumb news crews will all be out being stupid for you!

My pet peeve is when there are the flash flood warnings and people still drive on water covered roads. Last big rain storm, I watched a driver drive into the water, and then started cursing when the water rose over the tires, stalled the car and carried him off the road. Did he forget that he is the one who drove into it? The rest of us just waited 15 minutes and drove on when the road cleared.

You may have seen on the news what disaster our city and surrounding areas have been suffering through this past month. It's been the worst natural disaster in the history of our city! And I might add....in my life time. Scary! Crazy! Never thought it would happen here in our city. {But of course, to our neighbors' surprise...we were prepared for one anyway. ; ) } Lot's of major flood relief and clean up going on every day now. {Thank goodness}. It's been amazing the amount of community efforts going on to help those who lost everything. I wish I could be of more service.......but I just went through a personal emergency of my own. I was hit by a truck while out riding my bike. He wasn't looking where he was going. I have been in a wheelchair for two months. I am on a long road back to recovery and I am learning how to walk all over again. Very frustrating.......but SO grateful for my life. Oh.....everyone take note....."Wear a helmet!! They save lives and your head." *grin*

Anyway...back to the crazy things people do during a severe storm warning...

Our Mayor has said it best. He is AWESOME! Here's his famous 2013 quote, said during our flood:

"I can't believe I actually have to say this, but I'm going to say it: The river is CLOSED. You cannot boat on the river. I have a large number of nouns that I could use to describe the people I saw in a canoe on the Bow River today........I am not allowed to use any of them. I *can* tell you, however, that I have been told that despite the state of local emergency, I'm not allowed to invoke the Darwin Law." -Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi-

Folks gather at one location for safety in a storm, then behave as though it is a neighborhood party in the house with only little ones who can't walk, in the safe area. "get in the safe room and listen for weather updates". Now if they had the kit at the least they would be able to put bandaids on the cuts they get from flying debris!

Having lived in Oklahoma all my life and dealing with tornadoes, you quickly learn what to do, and not do. A tornado can be heading right for you, and then quickly turn left or right. No one wants to spend hours sitting in a musty cellar, so... we sit on the porch and watch. In 2009 a tornado was reported on the ground and heading my way. I ran to the school and picked up my son and we made it home minutes before the storm. We headed for the cellar, but it was flooded. Not enough time to run to the neighbors, so we went back in the house into an interior closet. This storm left our house standing, our greenhouse standing, but wiped out our barn and several small outbuildings.
Since then tornadoes in Oklahoma have gotten larger and much more deadly. Next time I'll allow more time to get my son and allow us plenty of time to find alternate shelter in the event our cellar was flooded again.

We live in a mountain town and each year there are avalanches caused by those who just HAVE to ski the back country even when the avalanche danger is high. Transponders don't guarantee that you will be found in time and the Search and Rescue Volunteers risk their lives each time they are called out.

For a hurricane, the answer is blisteringly obvious: Don't be there. I remember FEMA telling people who were determined to stay through Katrina to write their social security numbers on their arm in Sharpie, so they could identify the bodies.

When we were on our honeymoon some 20 years ago I could not pry my husband out of Florida when they told us to evacuate because a hurricane was coming. We live in the Midwest and he was out filming on the beach. Some years later he was in the middle of a tornado not far from home on the highway and not only did a large piece of metal roofing wrap around his truck but a tree was coming straight for his windshield when thankfully God lifted it up. This made a believer out of him and now he is the first to call me and the elderly relatives when a bad storm is approaching. He is also prepper ready!

The only storm that occurs in the mountain area where I live is the tourist kind. Every year people get trapped by the flash floods, the mud slides, hurt by going head first over the waterfall, and burned by the forest fires. Tourists try to cross the flash flood control gully aptly named Rattlesnake Creek. Flash floods are called "flash" because they strike without warning. Mudslide signs are all over the roads leading to town, in town and on the hiking trails. The waterfalls have signs posted that say climbing is too hazardous. People have been swept down the streets or trails by mudslides. Fires, thank heaven, haven't come at us from the west or that would seal us all in. Our town is a high canyon with one entrance and that for an exit as well. I can just see the tourists trying to get us to save them while they block the exit with their panic and their cars, while we are also running for our lives. A great prepper shares and folds in the needy. So we will do our best.

A dear friend just HAD to leave his nice warm house and his two little girls (alone!) during the Halloween storm in Duluth MN in the early nineties. The car was buried in the snowdrift, he didn't have skis or snowshoes, and his neighbors were buried in as well. What could he not live without? Cigarettes!
The nearest bodega was over a mile away as the crow could fly, but he had over two miles to hike because of his neighborhood's odd layout. To his credit, after he had slogged to the end of the second block, he realized he had been outside for almost an hour, so he turned around and slogged back, minus any butts but his own.

I see swift water rescue teams having to rescue people who are out on the flood swollen river. These dense folks are in for a joy ride in everything from pool floats to kayaks and canoes. Some may know how to handle raging flood water and have the experience, but those in pool floats, inexpensive 1 chamber rafts and inner tubes should be charged for the rescues that are made for them. In our area during the recent 4th of July rains, we have had several flood water deaths due to joy riders on the river exercising their rights in a self glory manner.

We experienced 2 hurricanes back-to-back in 2004. Our community worked together during and after the storm to help out those in need. But, so many of the needs were easily preventable!! Being a mechanic, my boyfriend donated his time to those with generator problems......MOST of the issues were the result of leaving fuel in the generators for long periods of time. It gummed up the engines really bad! Proper care of a generator will provide you with much-needed power instead of an over-sized doorstop.

After a big snow, my hubby went out on the balcony to get the snow off the satellite dish then proceeded to lock himself out of the house with only shorts on and no one home. As he trudged his way to our connecting metal roofed garage unbeknownst to him he had deeply cut his leg on a metal gutter guard hiding in the snow which he didn't even feel because his legs were so cold. He crawled/slid his way up and over the roof of the garage and when I got home had to take him to the E.R. for 10 stitches. P.S. The doctor said we were the 2nd patient that day who also got injured removing snow from their satellite dish!

It still amazes me that every time there is a flooding rain someone drives into an obviously flooded underpass (known to flood easily) and then needs to be rescued. No matter how many times it is announced "Don't drive into water across a roadway because you can't tell how deep it is", someone always does.

Where we live in SW New Mexico, we don't have tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding rivers, deep winter snow, frozen lakes, etc. What we do have are forest fires. Strange as it seems, folks refuse to thin the trees and undergrowth on their property when doing so greatly diminishes the chance of losing their home.

People can be so stupid during storms. Having to go outside in the middle of a hurricane to see "how bad it is" or going across the river in the middle of an awful thunderstorm with lightning all over the place and a waterspout or two along the way. My ex husbands favorite thing to do when a hurricane was on its way was to head for the beach to go surfing.
My mom taught me to be prepared. We always had loads of fried chicken, biscuits and vienna sausages and crackers (lol). Ice chests full of ice to put it in. Lots of candles, flashlights and water in every available container, including bathtubs and sinks.

People often don't seem to know/realize that if you can HEAR thunder, then you need to take cover. I have a friend who was sitting on her porch one afternoon, listening to the thunder and enjoying the "distant" lightning show. Suddenly, lightning hit a tree in her yard maybe 20 feet from her. Rather startling, to say the least. Thank you for hosting this giveaway!

Living in an area where most folks evacuate TO, we have extra workload during storms. If you live in an evacuation area, PLEASE have a plan of where to go. Lodging fills rapidly. Call and book ahead. Failure to plan adds to everyone's stress.

I don't think people prep for their pets enough. I have a human and dog first aid kit, crates, carriers, leashes, collars, tags and all of their vet records ready to go if ever needed. I often see people stashing a bunch of processed food as if that's going to save them. And the whole "buy all of the milk" phenomenon is ridiculous! Milk won't even last when there is no electric!

People that think a couple of bottles of water is enough to get them through if things go badly. They just don't understand that they need a lot of water for each person for drinking, plus they need water for cooking and washing up.

OK, here is what I just love! *eyeroll* When it gets cold and we get snow and ice on the roads, every redneck within 200 miles decides they dont need to be prepared, they have a BIG 4x4 truck. Then in the eleventh hour, Jim Bob, and Billy Jo take off in the middle of a snowstorm to get bread and milk, cause NO ONE and I mean NO ONE can survive a snowstorm without MILK SANDWICHES???? IT DRIVES ME CRAZY, and when the weather and roads clear up and you head towards town, there are 15 or more BIG BAD 4X4'S decorating the side of the road. Sometimes, I dont want to live on this planet anymore...hahah...It felt good to complain about that!!!

I always thought it was French Toast that is the meal of choice during a storm. Around these parts, it's milk, bread, and eggs that fly out of the stores. A week before Hurricane Sandy I told my family it was going to hit us. Ok, so I'm a weather geek. I read weather maps and data. I'm a National Weather Service Trained Spotter. So I know a thing or three about storms. The day before the storm was scheduled to hit, my mom asked me to take her to the grocery store. Of course I did. It was better than watching your favorite sit-com. People were harried and running around the store haphazardly like they'd never been there before and didn't know where to find anything. Then there was the bread aisle. Completely barren save for 2 loaves of bread that had expired 2 days earlier. Mom picked one up and saw the date on it and went to put it back and a woman snatched it out of her hand while another snatched the last loaf from the shelf. Neither of them checked the date on the wrapper, they just put it in their carts and went off running. During the entire time we were in the store, mom kept asking me why I wasn't buying anything. I smiled as I told her I didn't need to. "What about milk?" I laughed as I told her the power was going to go out and the milk will spoil. We were standing in the checkout line for over an hour while mom complained about how long it was taking. I just turned to her and said "I told you a week ago this was coming, why did you wait until the last minute?" Her response was because she didn't need it last week so why would she buy something she doesn't need.

I 2004, when all the hurricanes were criss-crossing the state, a woman in Florida had her husband tie a rope around her waist and duct tape her wrists and ankles to a small tarp. The goal was to fly her like a kite. It didn't work. The husband didn't weigh enough and they ended up getting dragged across the yard towards the canal. No injuries.

Oh, let me count the ways! =) Not having any kind of supplies in their car in case they get caught out in a storm...nothing worse than being stuck in the car with no food, blankets, or even basic tools like an ice scraper!

The thing that gets me is the neighbor not battening down the yard when a big one is coming whether it be a blizzard or a hurricane. Their stuff is going to blow everywhere and possibly break windows or dent cars, not to mention the fact that they are going to lose it and a lot of it is junk. There will be chairs and flower pots and garbage cans and goodness knows what else flying down the block like missles. They make it dangerous for the rest of us. These same neighbors will not bother with extra food or water and insist : Oh it is just going to blow over!!!

I love the folks who "prepare" for a storm by stocking enough food for one day and plan on cooking up a gourmet feast. During Hurricane Sandy, most of my friends went crazy to prepare their one storm dinner. They exerted all kinds of energy preparing one big meal (which is the most cooking they've done in months), and posted pictures of it all over Facebook. My facebook page looked like the Food Porn network. Then, by the second day, they were out driving around looking for any open restaurant because they were completely wiped out by their one day of cooking and have no idea how to prepare food with no electricity, in addition to have no extra food available.

Living in Florida, I am always surprised at the ways people avoid being prepared -- but the dumbest is folks who KNOW they live in flood prone areas who leave their cars right there anyway instead of moving them a matter of a few more yards even to avoid the potential damage not only to the vehicle itself but to anything or anyone else that floating few tons might connect with.

In San Antonio, and it's suburbs, pretty far inland, during a hurricane at the coast I've often seen this behavior, people buying "supplies" and then returning them to the store after the urgency had passed.

People think they need to hop in their 4x4 and speed around after blizzards when the roads are barely passable. I am much safer in my front wheel drive car with good tires that I drive every day. I know how it handles at every speed and in all conditions. If I can't get places safely in my sedan I don't need to go at all. I am stocked at home.

"Hey, let's go down and watch the tsunami roll in!" Guy was washed away in California doing this. I've been through many hurricanes and floods in Houston. Dumb are those who drive into standing water (underpass) and their cars go under. Hurricane parties where everyone stays in the hurricane warning area and gets drunk, dumber!

There are a couple of times that come to mind... But in 2004 both Hurricane Jeanne and Francis hit Florida..The kids and I were totally trying to be prepared, making sure everything was secured. Growing up in the north, we always filled our bathtubs with water in case we lost power, so that we could flush our toilets. My husband said, "We don't need to fill the tubs, because we have the pool outside and we can just get water from there to flush the toilets!" It didn't take us long to realize we could not go outside DURING the hurricane to get water for the toilets.... We learned our lesson..

We recently visited my sister and her husband, who live on an east coast waterfront. We had several severe thunderstorms during our visit, and she told us that if the electricity goes off "Don't flush the toilets. The electric pumps won't work, so we won't have water until the electric goes back on." Yet they have no backup water, not even cases of water bottles. They've already been through two hurricanes recently where the electric was off for days: what will it take to get them on board? If I win this emergency kit, I should send it straight to her!

2008 Hurricane Ike. A couple decided to ride out the hurricane in Galveston in their business that jutted out into the ocean on a pier. Needless to say, this did not end well and resulted in a night of terror as Ike tore their building apart. They did survive, but hopefully with a healthy respect for storms.

Ok, here's my pet-peeve when it comes to storms, or any kind of survival situation for that matter: People that claim to be such good Christians, but refuse to get prepared because they say there's no need to prepare because, get this...the Lord will take care of them. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard when it comes to any kind of survival situation! The Lord gave us His Word, & common sense. Proverbs 22: 3 says, "The wise see danger ahead & avoid it, but fools keep going & get into trouble." (NCV) And usually He gives us plenty of time to prepare! But these people refuse to do so, which is very irresponsible & disobedient. Would you lay down on a railroad track & say that the Lord wouldn't let the train hit you? Well, refusing to prepare for a storm, or whatever survival situation is like doing just that. Even the ants & the squirrels work all summer to store up food so they will survive the winter!

Oops, now I see the subject is a storm warning, not an actual storm. Let's see. How about windsurfing when a hurricane is coming to catch the "great" wind and waves? I know a guy who did that when Hurricane Gloria was bearing down on the east coast. It was bad enough that we were sent home early from work and he headed right for the water.

How about farmers riding around on tractors frantically trying to finish making hay when the sky is dark and there is thunder and lightning and wind whipping. I know getting the hay before rain in is important, but hello - sitting on a tall tractor in the middle of a field with lightning flashing?

I have nothing to add to human madness. I commend the great input from all over the country. It was fun to read. I set aside 10% of my income for emergency preparedness monthly. As a Mormon preparing for life's madness is part of our religious admonitions.

I live in hurricane alley on the Gulf coast of Texas. If a major store looks like it will come in I book at a major hotel chain in San Antonio (150 miles away) that will take dogs and has doggy walk and poo areas. I book three rooms and cram family members and pets in them. Before we leave home we remove everything from lower shelves, book cases, and stack all chest-r-drawers on top of the dressers. To save bedding, we stack it on top of the drawers or load in the cars for the family at the hotel. Never enough comfort items... bring your own comfort. I have the WaterBob that fills 50-100 gallons in the bath tub which keeps water potable as well as 50-60 1 and 5 gallon water containers around the house. Each of my sons do the same so if we come home to a mop and bucket clean up we will have fresh water. We bring food, dog food and extra water in the cars too. We even bring the camp stove and propane to heat minor foods on the hotel balcony if the hotel loses power. Last hurricane bounced over us and spun 12 tornadoes in San Antonio, Texas, just where we would have gone. Weather reports and radios with batteries are worth their weight in gold.

and lastly (but certainly not least) driving down the interstate on a BAD winter night. young lady in an expensive car was on the side of the road, pulled over thinkin eh maybe she'd want to sit in a warm car while waiting on a tow. got out approached the car she was very grateful i showed up. the accident had crunched her front end- smashing her phone into the dash and effectively killing it. wearing a tshirt and jeans no blanket in the car and barely what i'd call a warm jacket. told me she'd been sitting there for over an hour and no one would stop (mind you NO heat on a negative temp night w/ howling gusts). she said "thought i was going to die in the cold" so i gave her my car blanket and my hot coffee i had, i checked her over quick for injury (just a few scratches and bruises- probably a broken finger but not compound), gave her my cell to call her parent(s) and drove her to the hospital.... i have never since not gotten in a car (in winter) w/o a winter car kit. but she had nothing- no way to signal for assistance, no source of food or heat/warmth, no real chance... unless someone stopped. that was an essential situation for me to start considering preparedness.

The best one I guess is we have winter here every year (Ohio) and it just amazes me how many people are lined up getting snow shovels when a snow storm is predicted. I just scratch my head every year when I see the hardware stores are sold out and people are waiting for a new supply to come in. Same thing with snow melt.

We have had several power outages that have lasted for 3 to 7 days. You would think that people would remember from year to year what they had to do without during the last one and be better prepared with things like canned soups, a portable stove to cook on (butane or something similiar). Plenty of batteries and flash lights, toilet paper, etc. but No.. you see them like zombies driving all over the place after a storm has hit trying to find those basic items that they should have had in stock. We for one have learned our lesson, each time we have had to learn something new (don't stock your deep freezer in the summer months). I now keep as much frozen water in my deep freezer as I can fit in there so that what I do have doesn't go bad.. 2012 June 30th we lost power for 6 days with temps in the high 80's, whew! And unplug your appliances, we lost our refrigerator when the power came back on and caused a surge. Now I know to turn the main circuit breaker off when the power is out. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have a battery operated radio. Of course these are just a few of the things we do to be prepared my list is longer but on the stupidity front these are some of things that drive me nuts.

In Florida, people drive to the coast, beach etc during a hurricane to try their hand at surfing or just watching the pounding it is making, driving through feet of water...dangerous..what if they couldn't get back home? It would be nice to win that package from sta bil!

What not to do... In an active tornadozone, you DON'T go storm-watching, you DON'T go to make sure the livestock is in (they'll wander back eventually, for the most part), and don't try to race the tornado in order to get away from it (I have both seen and done this; the only reason I succeeded was that I was already in my car on the interstate when it was descending).

SW Idaho gets some brisk straight line winds but I seem to be the only person that brings in my garbage cans for at least a couple of blocks in each direction.
We had a windstorm last spring and it knocked out power all across SW Idaho many rural (tranplanted city) folks had no water for several days without an "electric" pump runing and the city of Twin Falls had NO backup system at all if electricity failed for more than a few hours.
Ironically I had just run my 5 day no water test about 6 weeks prior to the storm and I was very aware of what I needed to do for a water outage. Thank you Kellene for the "no water practice test"!
I now have plenty of drinking water stored, another 300 gallons in rain barrels, 2 big 5 gallon Igloo type jugs for storing hot water overnight as modified hot water tanks along with a portable propane camp shower/small water pump that runs on D cell batteries. I'm slowly adding 15 gallon food safe water barrels for family members and neighbors I can't convince to prepare ( four are full and two are still in stand by mode). My Mom said I could provide a hot shower or bath or clean drinking water as a trade good if a collapse happens.

I now do a walk through when I see any storm warning in the news and double check all flashlights, fill up all lamps kerosene or oil lamps and make sure the wicks are trimmed, and do any cleaning that requires power like laundry or vacuming. Make sure I'm good on my bread baking and fill all Ice trays or water jugs for freezing to keep the fridge cool and full. Make sure all radios and cell phones have a full charge and rince and soak some beans I can cook on the propane camp stove or solar oven depending on the weather. Make some coffee (store in thermos) and throw some steel cut oats in the crock pot /thermos for breakfast in the AM.

Talk about your peace and no/little stress before a storm. This is it!

About 15 years ago we lived on the Oregon Coast about a block and a half from the beach at beach level. That year we seemed to get more tsunami warnings than normal. We had go bags for everyone (even the beloved guinea pig) and an evacuation and reunite plan for our family. It always amazed me how many people either totally ignored the warning sirens or actually started heading for the beach. They caused quite a traffic hazard for those of us heading for high ground. And earthquake on the West coast causing a Tsunami is highly likely. We soon moved inland and now our biggest natural disaster risks are earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and the occasional ice and wind storm. Would love to win this package from STA-BIL and Start Your Engines!

When you know a storm is coming, or if you are caught in a storm. Don't forget to pray. Prayer can have a powerful effect on the weather. Every aboriginal tribe had some form of rain dance, or some kind of repertoire that induced the placebo effect or the power of the mind. I have prayed my way through many a terrible storm. However, keep in mind that prayer is a direct link to God and not a placebo effect.

Dumbest thing we did when we went to the basement to shelter from a F5 tornado in 1979 was not notice the 8 year old was barefoot. We survived rebuilt and learned a heck of a lot. We now have a defined safety area pre-equipped with water, lanterns, personal papers and camping gear. We also take with us all medical equipment and medications, bug out bags, cell phones and cash. The items to take down with us are either taken to the basement as soon as the weather turns hinky or staged at the top of the basement stairs so they can be grabbed as we go.

Down here in Mo we have many low water crossings that rarely have running water in them but do flood with alot of rain. Every storm some dumb-squared person is swept away in their car trying to cross one of these places after heavy rain. The lucky ones get rescued. The unlucky drown. Every time flood warnings go up the saying "turn around, don't drown" is repeated over and over on tv. Remember one old couple that was rescued saying they had to go to a dr. apt so drove thru low water crossing right by their house that they had seen flood dangerously many times.

I grew up in a rural area of North Florida. Never ceased to amaze me that no one ever prepared for extended power outages when hurricanes were bearing down on them! Especially those who were on wells and relied on electricity for water. It's like they didn't connect the dots!!!

It amazes me that when there is a snow storm warning, people wait until the last minute to go out to buy shovels and ice melt and then are surprised when they are all sold out. I also don't understand how people can live in Ohio and not already have a shovel.

We have a lot of wildfires here in AZ too. It amazes me that people won't evacuate and then pay the ultimate price or have to be rescued, taking away responders who have better things to be doing during the emergency.

After the recent wildfires here, I heard someone talking about watching the reports on TV for sometime before they decided to try to get in to get important things from a relative's house. Evacuation areas change VERY quickly in a fire. Act as soon as you find out there is an issue. Don't wait. People here were running police barricades and doing other sorts of things to get back into houses.

Another dumb thing I have seen would be in the 'lack of preparedness' category. We live in the Ozarks and are 17 miles from the nearest town. This area is not heavily populated, but we have new families moving here on a fairly steady basis. Not having amenities close at hand, most of us are fairly self sufficient. We know how to "get things done" and what it takes to do so. Our winters can range from mild (not a lot of snow) to severe (lots of snow and ice). Our area is hilly and can be quite steep in places, so most folks have some kind of 4WD vehicle to depend on. Part of our regular winter preps are: trickle chargers, diesel supplement, gasoline supplement, a change of oil, etc, for the trucks and tractors. Also, water heaters, blankets, cover, and wind breaks for the livestock. For ourselves; wood, small propane canisters (to power cook stoves and room size heaters), canned foods (both store bought and home made), candles, solar lighting, lots of quilts, cold weather clothing (layers are best). That is just for starters. You need to be able to take care of yourself and loved ones if the power goes out, or if the conditions are more severe than usual. Even if you move here from a warmer climate, you would know to make winter preparations to and for your equipment, trucks, tractors, and livestock. Right? .... Right??? Well, maybe not. It is surprising to me the people who do not take into consideration that it is risky for folks to come out and rescue them if they are not able to take care of themselves or their stock. The majority of our roads are dirt. It might take a couple of days (or more) to get the roads cleared. Especially if conditions are more severe than normal. They cannot get hay to their livestock, if their tractor won't start. They cannot heat even a small room if they did not have the foresight to get a camping heater and propane tanks for it. They will eat cold yucky food if they do not have a way to heat it. So what do they do if they are not prepared? They call someone for help. Most folks are glad to help others. But, why should anyone have to endanger themselves to rescue someone who was foolish? Sometimes a lack of preparations is just foolish.

Having lived thru the blizzard of "78, numerous power outages,severe storms,tornado's and flooding (as a first responder),I only have a few things to say.....PAY ATTENTION.........To the weather forcasters,and local emergency authorities.These highly trained and dedicated people provide valuable info BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER an event has taken place.THINK...... About your personal preparedness plan for events in your area and pratice putting you plan in place with your family and share it with your friends and neighbors.PREPAREDNESS IS NOT PANC, IT IS COMFORT DURING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.

Don't wait until the last minute to evacuate from a wildfire. The people who were killed in the most recent one near here, apparently had the car packed, checked on the neighbors, made a phone call and said they could see the glow from the fire, and had been told to leave by police but didn't for some reason.

I noticed during the wildfires last year, that I don't function as well if I am under stress, even if I'm not immediately in danger or really impacted. Just deciding what to make for dinner was a challenge. There was plenty of food, but what to make. Now I have a set easy emergency meals (pasta) to make so we can carry on normally and so I can make sure the kids aren't stressed. Don't try to go out to eat if a lot of people are evacuated nearby, the restaurants will be jam packed and possibly understaffed to boot. This year's fires were closer but not to the point that we were really worried. In retrospect we did a decent job evacuating, getting the most important things that insurance can't replace, making a video of our possessions for insurance purposes, and doing it without worrying our kids. We're working on a checklist for next time in case it is necessary to do it in only 5-10 minutes.

In 1997, huge storm hit the Sierra's right after Christmas. 3feet of snow one weekend, then the next weekend another 3 feet of Sierra Cement. One day after a good snowfall, I took the 4x4 Suburban out to Reno and once I got to the freeway, it was smooth sailing. When I returned home to Truckee, my husband took the same vehicle and went down the block in the opposite direction I had gone. One block away the snow on the road had blown into 3-5 feet drifts. The Suburban got stuck on a downhill slope. He walked back home and got out the old Dodge 4x4 truck to pull the Suburban out of the snow. That got stuck, too. By then other cars came behind those vehicles and all got stuck. My children and I trudged thru the snow bringing shovels to help dig them all out......but hardly making a dent out of the mess. Finally a snow plow came up the hill from below digging out the hillside and one by one getting all the vehicles unstuck. Some people think 4x4's can go anywhere they please......but not so!

im terrified of storms so i have my basement set up with couches and heavy furniture to crawl under...about 6 or 7 yrs ago it was a hot sunny 90 degree day in the greater detroit area...i had gone to my sister in laws which was 12 mins away and taken my youngest daughter with me and left my middle child home and the older child was off with friends...i wasn't at my sister in laws for more then 5 mins and my daughter calls and says MOM THE SIRENS ARE GOING OFF....i laughed and said ok rae....she calls right back and said LISTEN....i heard them going off and thought WOW there's no way....so i left and started driving back home and as i turned on the road going towards my house i hear the sirens and the sky was so black all i could was cry....i made it home just in time for the call from my sister in law telling me to get in the basement a tornado had touched down on one of the beach areas...my daughter already had everything set up downstairs so all we had to do was get under the couches and flip them over.....sirens stopped...didn't hear anything....came up to look around....everything seemed fine....2hrs later my husband comes home from work and said a tornado had touched down at the corner of our rd and the rd that crosses it which is 4 house's down and a field....i said no way....we walked out and had a look...sure enough you seen where it came down and went thru the field and across the road thru that field...ummmm yeah.....i drove right into it not knowing.....all i knew was my child was at home alone and i had to get to her.....

I live in CO and have experience more than a few blizzards that have shut down our town. The stupid thing that people do in this situation is this: they manage to clean off their sidewalks and driveways, but pile the snow in the street! It may be days before the city can have it's employees clean the side streets. Those people just make it harder for the cars that are trying to drive in the streets. Pile the snow in the yard where it won't be in anyone else's way!!

Two of my pet peeves? People that go outside to watch lightening striking close by....of course they usually stand near trees or large metal objects. People that try to drive to a store (and usually wind up in the ditch) because they think that stores will actually be open during a snow/ice storm because they can't live without some food item for 1 day.

My husband jokes about my 'pantry'. He says it's 'so full we could eat for a year off what it contains'....Hello! That is kind of the idea! We may not be at the point of a year (more like 4 months currently) but if I include the freezer items...then 'yes' we probably could eat for a year. I thank sites like this for providing me with ideas, recipies, and storage ideas so we will be better prepared in case of an emergency. Now, just need my husband to build that storm shelter... .